More Than My Own Life
"Why are you doing this Darren? Why do you keep going after her? You know you can't beat her alone. And besides she's in that legal guild now... would it really matter if you beat her?" Jason asks, trying to persuade his twin from seeking out trouble. He refuses to allow me to come with him but I won't let him go alone. Not to face Her. "You can't stop me Jason. IT's a matter of pride! Pride in Shattered Dusk, in-" "Shattered Dusk is over Darren!" "It's never over" Darren states with a knowing glint in his eyes. "What do you know?" "What I've always known: Darkness cannot be smothered. It will rise and consume us all." Both boys instinctively put their hands on their guild marks and muttered "May Darkness consume us all". They had kept their guild marks even after Shattered Dusk had disbanded. Jason removed his hand from his waist quickly and turned to face his brother. He had just opened his mouth to argue when Darren held up a hand and sighed. "Fine. You can come. Just please, let's not argue. We'll wait and take off in the morning." Jason sighed as well but in relief instead of exasperation. Both brothers nodded and mentally agreed upon a course of action. They then began to prepare for bed but Jason took the time to survey the room they were staying in for the night. It was at an inn some ways away from Onibus Town where that girl resides. It's a nice room though: two bedroom suite, two bath, sitting room with attached dining room between the bedrooms. Jason thought it was a nice luxury but it was mostly Darren's idea... the shorter haired twin did seem to have a taste for the extravagant. Jason removed his black jacket and slowly walked through each of the rooms to check that they were secure. Once he had deemed them worthy enough he went to his own room and placed his jacket on the bed. He removed his belt and unbuttoned his shirt, leaving his pants and shoes in place so he would be decent to fight if the need were to arrive while the boys slept. He stepped out onto their secluded balcony and pulled out a cigarette. He stuck it in his mouth and snapped his fingers, using red fire magic to light it. Smoking was a bad habit but in the twins profession there was a higher chance of them dying in combat. "That's as long as brother keeps his mindset in the dark guild and revenge or pride or whatever" Jason says as he rolls his eyes. He stomps out his cigarette and heads to bed. Later on that night Jason feels a chill seeping into his room. Terrified he left the door open and someone was sneaking in to assassinate them, he bolted for his brother's room only to find his bed empty and an envelope with Jason written on the front. He ripped it open and hastily read the letter inside. "Son of a-" He nearly yelled. Darren had left a few hours ago, just after Jason had gone to bed in fact. He was headed to fight Nova. Jason slammed his fist into a nearby wall leaving cracking it and leaving a large hole where he made contact. After quickly dressing and checking out of the inn, Jason began to try and track his brother. Night {Jason's POV} "I can't find that idiot anywhere. I should have found a map..." I arrive at a town and look for it's name on a sign. Oak Town? Finding a nearby map shows me I've gone in a complete opposite direction from that Coma In guild, or whatever it's name is, in Onibus Town. A long groan escapes me when I realize there's no way for me to catch up to him. I won't be able to protect him. Curse words fly from my mouth as I take off after him anyways, this time with a map in hand. I haven't been to that town for a long time. Darren and I preferred to stay on the move and constantly find jobs. We're quite well off money wise which is how Darren likes to be: powerful, even if not in strength. Strength. Ironic that that's what he strives for yet it's his downfall. I don't want him to hurt anymore, not like before, not like he did when I wasn't there. {Flashback} "Hey look! It's the albino freak!" I hear a voice behind me say. Turning around I see the usual group of tormentors and subconsciously push my long bangs behind my ears. I don't mind being picked on because I'm pale or because my hair's super long or even that it makes me look feminine. What bothers me is when they insult my brother in front of me. He's my only family and best friend, even if all he does is start trouble. I sigh and begin to walk away. Hopefully a fight can be avoided. "Get back here you twink!" one yells. I clench my jaw but keep walking, adjusting my blazer to appear unfazed. "Dammit I told you he wasn't worth much. His brother was easy pickings though! Haha dude did you see the blood running down his face? That goth boy was barely a warm up for my fists of-" Whack! I feel a sweet release of anger as my knuckles sink into his jaw once more and hear a small cracking noise. My next punch hits his temple and it's lights out. I turn to face the remaining three. "You dared lay a hand on my brother?! I. Will. End. You." I may be small but I'm fast. When the next two come at me I bash my elbow into one's nose as I dance out of the way of the other's fist. The third catches me in the stomach with his foot and I double over. Before I can see the foot heading towards my face, I whip out my hands and grab it. Twisting it just the right way shatters the bone inside. I'm down to two. I disable one with seven furious knees to the groin and duck so his buddy's punch goes over my head and straight into his nose with a crunch. To finish the last guy I cup my hands and slam them down over his ears. While he's stunned I take out his legs and repeatedly stomp on his ribs, feeling a few break beneath my foot. "You call me a twink but really you're insecure about your own masculinity. You insolent fools have no better way to attack me than a few names and your fists? Weak. You are nothing but arrogant insects whose egos I can simply smother beneath my sole. You have hurt my family and his wrath flows through me. You couldn't have won even if the gods were on your sides." I then turn and unto my brother. It doesn't take long since he's only on the other side of the school building, tucked behind the dumpsters. After pulling him out and slinging his arm over my shoulders, we begin the long walk home. He's bleeding from his forehead, nose, mouth, and he's bruising everywhere. Still he manages to be filled with endless rage. "They went after you too, didn't they? I'll murder them! I'll rip every limb from their goddamn bodies! I'll-" "It's already been taken care of." "You fought them alone?!?!" "We're never alone." I say, lightly tapping the left side of his chest. He grins a little. "Hey Jason?" "Hm?" "What did they call you?" "Oh nothing really. Albino, twink, freak, the usual..." "Twink? Oh man. I'm sorry. I know how much you hate that word." "It's fine. They're arseholes anyway." Darren laughs and passes out before we reach the house. We're forced to transfer schools the next week. {End flashback} Days Later I've finally arrived back here. Darren and I haven't been back since a month before that damned guild war happened and Shattered Dusk was wiped out. I can easily tell where my brother went and I track the remaining presence of his magic, passing a young boy with black hair carrying a small redhead girl as I go. When I finally find my twin the only glimpse of himI get is as he's being hauled away by Magic Council members. No! This shouldn't of happened. I should have protected him. That was my job and I failed. My heart seems to collapse inside my ribs and I realize I lost the thing I hold dear. The thing that, to me, means more than my own life...